Improvement ifsi buwgh-mold machines for cigars



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Bunch-Mold Machines for Cigars. No. 134,502. Patented Decls1,1872.

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31. WETTSTEIN.

Bunch-Mold Machines for Cigars.

' Patemed Dec. 31, 1872.

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PATENT @Errea JOHN VETTSTEIN, OF HIGHLAND, ILLINOIS.

lsaeaovswiEN-r iN BUNCH-MOLD machines Foa cle/ias.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. E34-,5102, datedDecember 31, 1872.

\ Myinvention relates to an apparatus by which the iilling-bunches ofcigars are pressed and set into the proper form to receive the wrapp er.The lirst part of my invention consists in the form ation of the mold,which is made in two parts,

having counterpart cavities each the size and form of half the moldedillin g for a cigar. At the point end the parts terminate in moderatelysharp or angular edges, which, although they are not intended to cutott' the superfluous tobacco, yet so nearly divide or closely press itthat the point is neatly formed, and the surplusage readily clipped offwith scissors. The second part of my invention consists in combining anumber of such molds with a rotary frame or wheel, so that the molds maybe brought in succession to the hand of the operator. The third part ot'lny invention consists in providing a heater, by which the filled moldsare heated so as to set the filling in form.

Figure l is a side view of my apparatus. Fig. 2 is a section through thewheel, showing a modification in which steam is used to heat the molds.Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion ot' my apparatus.

Ais the frame, supporting an arbor, B, (that may be hollow and connectedwith a steampipe, to convey steam to the hollow rim c of the Wheel C, asshown in Fig. 2, d being' a pipe, communicating from the hollow in thearbor to that in the rim.) The hub D ot' the wheel turns on the arbor B,and is connected by spokes E to the rim F. This rim has side iianges,forming between them a peripheral groove or channel, c, to convey to themolds the heated currents from a lamp beneath. G is the fixed part ofthe mold, which is attached to the rim F. g are upwardly extendinganges, which act as guides to the moving parts H of the mold. The recessg of the part G, and that h in the under part ofthe part H, (not shown,)are similar in form to one-haltl ot' a cigar divided longitudinally, andtogether form a matrix for forming the bunch or lling. The mold whenclosed is open at one end, and at the other end has jaws I I', whichpinch the point of the bunch and give it the proper tapering form. Thesejaws, although having an edge, are not intended to cut oit thesurplusage, but to deeply indent the lineV between the surplusage andthe point, so that the latter may hold its form, and the surplusage maybe readily removed by scissors. Near each end of the moving part H areguide-rods J, sliding in sockets J of the fixed part G. The lower endsof the rods J are connected together by a cross-bar, K, into whichscrews a screw-head, L. M is a bar, pivoted to the head L, and to thelever N, whose end is fulcrumed in the lug O. The fulcrum o of the leveris at such distance from the wheel that the lever N moves throughsomewhat more than a semicircle, so that its end fallspast the line ofdirection in which the molds act, by weight and pressure, of the bunch,to move the lever, so that the action of the mold is lto hold the endot' the lever against the wheel when in either of its Xed positions. Thedistance between the mold and the lever is regulated by the screw-headL, which, after the bar' M is disconnected from the lever, may bescrewed into the bar K. Beneath the wheel is a lamp P, to heat the moldsafter they are tille'd. The heated currents from the lamp P passup theperipheral channel and communicate heat to the molds both before andafter they have reached the lamp in their rotation.

The operation of my apparatus is as follows: The operator stands beforethe wheel andf inserts the bunch of filling into the mold; he then turnsdown the lever N, which closes the mold and compresses the bunch intoform. The jaws I I tightly pinch the tobacco at the point, so as to`leave a very thin line to be subsequently cut through to remove thesurplusage from the point. When the mold is filled, another mold isbrought to the top by the partial rotation ofthe wheel. The lever N isthen raised to open the mold, and the molded bunch removed; and so, asthe wheel is turned, the molds are lled and turned down over the lamp toset the bunch.

In Fig. 2 is shown a modifica-tion in which the arbor B is hollow, andthe inside of the hub has a circular groove, df, to conduct the steamfrom a hole, d, in the arbor to the pipe d, leading to the annularchamber c, formed by surrounding the rim by the plate f. The

I I', uprights J, and sockets J', as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The molds G H I I' supported on a wheel or rotary frame, and operatedsubstantially as set forth.

3. The combination of bunch-filling molds,

supporting-Wheel, and the heating-lamp P, or described equivalent, forthe purpose set forth.

JOHN WETTSTEIN.

Witnessesi SAML. KNIGHT, R. T. BRADLEY.

